DAYTON, Ohio – Zach Lane had three hits including two solo home runs, but it was not enough as Northern Kentucky gave Milwaukee its first loss of the 2024 Horizon League Baseball Championship, winning by a 5-3 score at Nischwitz Stadium.
 
Alongside Lane, Gabe Roessler had a multi-hit effort, while Carson Hansen walked and scored a run on a sacrifice fly by Q Phillips to open the scoring.
 
"We lost a very competitive game today, but give credit to their defense," said Shaun Wegner after the game. "I thought Ben Gerl did a good job of not giving us much without working for it and ultimately their defense won that game for them."
 
Milwaukee and Northern Kentucky were tied at seven hits apiece, with Logen Devenport leading the Norse with three, including a pair of doubles. The Panther offense couldn't find many holes in the Norse defense as MKE stranded six runners on base.
 
"We found some barrels and lined out a few times ... however, in this game, pitching and defense often dictates the outcome," Wegner added.
 
Gavin Theis got the start for the start for Milwaukee and made it through five innings before being lifted in the sixth. Logan Snow pitched three effective innings for Milwaukee with three strikeouts while allowing just one run in the sixth.
 
"Gavin and Logan competed hard and gave us a chance," added Wegner. "A couple of freebies compounded by their hits behind in the count ended up hurting us."
 
Gerl started for Northern Kentucky and earned his fifth win of the season over an eight-inning effort with four strikeouts while allowing all three Panther runs. Aaron Massie walked one batter in the ninth but picked up his fourth save.
 
Milwaukee opened the scoring with Phillips' sacrifice fly to plate Hansen in the second, the Norse responded with two in the bottom of the inning as Devenport doubled home the tying run before Cleary Simpson was hit by a pitch with the bases full to give NKU the lead.
 
Lane hit the first of his two home runs to tie the game in the top of the fourth with one down. In the bottom of the inning, the Panther defense turned a double play to end the frame with the game even at two.
 
Northern Kentucky scored once in the fifth and added two more in the sixth to take a 5-2 advantage.
 
Leading off the ninth inning, Lane connected on his second home run of the afternoon, which proved to be all the scoring in the game as NKU held on for the 5-3 win.
 
Milwaukee will face elimination for the duration of postseason play and will need to fight their way back into the winner's bracket. The first task will come on Friday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. (CT), when the Panthers will play either Purdue Fort Wayne or Youngstown State. The Mastodons and Penguins are playing on Thursday evening, with the winner advancing to Friday, and the losing team being eliminated.